MAANDUKYA UPANISHAD (with Gaudapaada’s kaarikas) Translated and interpreted by V.D.N. Rao, Former General Manager, India Trade Promotion Organisation, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi now at Chennai 1 Other scripts by the same Author: Essence of Puranas: Maha Bhagavata, Vishnu, Matsya, Kurma,Varaha, Vamana, Narada, Padma, Shiva, Linga, Skanda, Markandeya, Devi Bhagavata, Brahma, BrahmaVaivarta, Brahmanda, Agni, Bhavishya, Nilamata, Shri Kamakshi Vilasa Dwadasha Divya sahasra naama: a) Devi Chaturtha Sahasranama: Lakshmi, Lalitha, Saraswati, Gayatri b) Chaturdha Shiva Sahasra naama: Linga-Shiva-Brahma Puranas and Maha Bharata c) Trividha Vishnu and Yugala Radha Krishna Sahasra Naamas from Padma-Skanda-Narada Puranas and Maha Bharata Stotra Kavacha-A Shield of Prayers Purana Saaraamsa Select Stories from Puranas Essence of Dharma Sindhu, Essence of Shiva Sahasra Lingarchana, Essence of Amaranath Yatra, Essence of Paraashara Smriti, Essence of Brahma Sutras * and Essence Dharma Bindu*. Essence of Upanishads:Aitereya, Brihadaranaka, Chhandogya, Isha,Taittriya, Katha, Mundaka, Prashna, Maandukya [Note: All the above works released by the website of kamakoti.org/news] 2 MAANDUKYA UPANISHAD (with Gaudapaada’s Kaarika) OM/ Bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaa bhadram pashyemaaksha bhiryajatraah, Shthirai rangaistushtuvamsastanubhir vyashema deva hitam yadaahuh// Svastina Indro vriddhyashravaah svasti nah Pushaa Vishvavedaah, Svasti nastaarkshyo arishtanemih svasti no Brihaspatirdadhaatu// OM Shantih, Shantih, Shantih// (Om, may devas bless us always to hear words of propitious and promising nature as we are engaged in performing acts of Sacrifices; let us always vision such deeds of virtue; let our limbs be engaged is such activities that invoke devas for fulfilling our desires. May Lord Indra and Pusha the God of Earth bestow to us excellent disposition and lenience towards us as we might falter and fail. May Garuda Deva who oversees our strengths and shortcomings destroy evil influences surrounding us and save.! May Lord Brihaspati guide us to enrich our Learning and Wisdom and lead us to the Path of Material Prosperity and Spiritual Fulfillment; may the Universe be surfeit with Peace, Peace and Peace always!) Introduction: Being the glorious revelation of the illustrious Maharshi Manduka of the Eternal Truth and Reality, Mandukya Upanishad visioned Twelve ‘Paramaartha Shlokas’ or the poignant Statements providing the epitome of Vedas and Upanishads. Hence the Truism : Maandukyam ekameva alam mumukshunaam vimuktaye/ One single and far fetching Upanishad is a direct exposition even excelling Brihadaranyaka or Chhaandogya Upanishad as it seeks to hit direct the Actuality of Existence and Beyond, without frills and fringes and the aids of examples and explanations. The Basics are explained as the utmost magnitude and far-reach of Pranava or Omkara, the magnificence of ‘Antaratma’ or the Inner Consciousness called as the Self and ‘Paramaatma’, the Super Self ; the Vaishvanara or the Virat Purusha possessive of four quarters of Spheres of Action viz. the ‘Jaagarita’ or the Waking State, the ‘Taijasa’ or the Dream State, ‘Sushupta’ or ‘Praagjna’ the Deep Sleep, and ‘Sarvajnata’ or the Omniscience; the features of Virat Purusha and Pranava the Ultimate! Thus existence commences and climaxes with Pranava! Indeed the Quintessence of Life and Beyond is the sum and substance of Maandukya Upanishad. The ‘Gaudapada Kaarikas’ or amplificatory annotations are embedded in each of the Twelve Maandukya Stanzas. Maandukyas I and II Omityeyed aksharam idam sarvam tasyopavyaakhyaanam bhutam bhavad bhavishyad iti sarvam omkaara eva yac chaanyat trikaalaateetam tadapi omkaara eva// Sarvam hyetad Brahma, ayam aatmaa Brahma, soyam aatmaa chathushpaat/ ( The most Sacred Word is the exposition of the Universe in totality and the ‘Kaala maana’ or the Past- Present-Future . Tasya upavyaakhyaanam or that - Om- is indeed the visual exhibition and elucidation of the yesterday-today -and tomorrow! Sarvametad Brahma or this Om is all about Brahman; Ayam aatmaa Brahma or the Self is Brahman too. Obviously thus OM and Brahman and Self are all the same. And this equation has chatushpaad or four feet or quarters described as Vishva-Taijasa-Praajna and Turiya, all merging in succesive stages) 3 Maandukya III Jaagarita sthaano bahisprajnah saptaanga ekonavimshati mukhah sthula bhug Vaishvaanarah prathama paadah/ (The first quarter is of Vaishvaanara whose sphere of activity is in the Jaagarita sthaana or the State of Wakefulness. He enjoys the Bahirprajna or the awareness of the happenings around in relation to the objects on the open Society as he is equipped with saptaangas or seven limbs to see, hear, smell and breathe, move about, feel, generate and clear out and above all think. Chhandogya Upanishad vide V.xviii.2 explains about the consciousness of the objects outside as indeed that of an imagery of Agnihotra or Vaishvanara Sacrifice as in the case of Vaishvanara Self: ‘ Heaven as head, Surya as the eyes, Air as Praana, Sky as the middle portion of the body, water as the bladder, Earth as the two feet, sacrificial altar as the chest, kusha grass as his hair; Garhapatyagni as his heart; Aavaahaarya Pachana Agni as the mind, and Aavavaneeya Agni or that into food as oblation as his mouth. Thus He the Viashvanara Self is possessed of Saptangas. Now, He is also possessive of ekonavimshati mukhah or nineteen mouths-viz. ‘pancha jnanendriyas’ or five senses of perception and ‘pancha karmendriyas’ or five organs of action, besides ‘pancha praanas’ of ‘praana-apaana-udaana-vyaana-samaana’ as also the mind again comprising the faculty of thinking- intellect-ego and wisdom or what one calls as judgment. Thus Viashvanara is known as ‘Vishva’ or the enjoyer of what all the Universe is capable of offering by way of pleasures and experienes and ‘Nara’ or the leader of the organs and mind backed up by the Vital Forces! Now the Self Consciousness, or the Composite Self in short, is the Virat Svarupa or the composite form of all the gross bodies and the Unique Symbol of what all Universe is made of- maintained by- and -periodically destroyed too , giving way to another cylce of the Time capsule. Indeed the Virat Svarupa is a designation of self manifestation and the self- prescribed, even as the Supreme remains yet unknown! The apprehension of dualism is totally misleading , misunderstood , unestablished and painstakingly denied by Upanishads. Chhandogya Upanishad vide VI.ii. 1-2 is quoted as saying that: Sad eva idam agra aaseed ekam evaadeeteeyam taddhaika aahuh, asad evedam agra aaseed ekam evvdviteeyam, tasmaad asatah sajjaayata/ Kutas tu khalu, Saumya, evam syaat, iti ho vaacha, katham, asatah sajjaayeteti, sat tveva, Saumya, idam agra aaseed ekam evaadviteeyam/ Or in the beginning there was only one Single Existence with none else, and out of that emerged a second. Indeed by which logic this was possible that existence could come out of non- existence, especially the proposition was that at the beginning there was no other existence! The inference could be argued that three possibilities might be drawn: the term ‘ekam’ might have excluded ‘sajaatiyata’ or of the same tree like another tree; ‘svagata bheda’ or internal variation of the same tree’s leaves, flowers, or fruits; or ‘vijaateeyata’ or the difference of a tree from say a rock. But when one is referring to some one like the Unique Brahman, the aforesaid possibilities are simply ruled out! Having thus explained about the unity of Vaishvanara and the Supreme Unknown, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad in Madhu Brahmana vide II.vi.1 is suggestive of the unity of ‘Taisaja’ and ‘Praajnaa’ as well with the Virat Purusha besides Hiranyagarbha as well. The Madhu Vidya or the doctrine of Honey as applicable to the Beings is equally applicable to Elements and Concepts as well the Self: Iyam Prithivi sarveshaam bhutaanaam madhu, asyai prithivyai sarvaani bhutaani madhu; yashchaayam asyaam prithivyaam tejomayomritamayah Purushah, yashchaayam adhyatmam shareerah tejomayomritamayah Purushah,ayameva yoyam atmaa, idam amritam, idam Brahma, idam sarvam/ or Earth is like madhu or honey which is the essence of all the Beings from Virat Purusha and Hiranyagarbha to a blade of grass. The Virat Swarupa or the Composite Self comprises of 4 four entities viz. Prithivimaya, Tejomaya, Amritamaya and Purusha. This is indeed the Atma, Amrita, Prajna, Brahma and Sarvam or the Totality !) Mandukya IV Svapna sthaanontah prajnah saptaanga ekonavimshati mukhah pravivikta bhuk taijaso dviteeya paadah/ (‘Taijasa’ is the second quarter and its sphere of activity is the dream state or sub-consciousness. Its consciousness is in-rooted or inward bound and looking within; it is possessed of seven body limbs and nineteen mouths, and is capable of experiencing the joy of subtle objects. This Taijasa which is essentially stationed in ‘svapna sthaana’ is no doubt active otherwise too but since there are direct means of awareness by way of mental vibrations, it is dormant excepting in the dream stage when it gets activised. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad aptly explains vide IV.iii.9 : Tasya vaa etasya purushasya dvai eva sthaane bhavatah: idam cha paraloka shtaanam cha sandhyam triteeyam svapnasthaanam; tasmin sandhye sthaane tishthannete ubhe sthaany pashyati idam cha paraloka sthaanamcha/ Atha yathaakrameyam paraloka shtaani bhavati tam aakramam aakramya, ubhayaan paapmaanaa aanannadaamscha pashyati/ Sa yaataa prasvapiti, asya lokasya sarvaavato